Product Description
The climactic chapter in the Revelation Space saga destined to "solidify Alastair Reynolds's reputation as one of the best hard SF writers in the field" (*SF Site). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

Not up to the previous two books
I am a Reynolds fan. I loved Revelation Space. But I did see the trilogy go slowly downhill. While it is still worth reading, I do feel Mr. Reynolds let us down a bit. I liked Revelation Space because it was snappy and lean. Things happened for a reason, to move the story forward. Concepts were introduced and explained enough to carry us along and keep us interested. There were no wordy and lengthy explanations and descriptions. The story elements came together at the end. But things have changed throughout the course of the trilogy. And the very things that I liked about Revelation Space were forgotten. I have to agree with the criticism of other reviewer and add some of my own.
- The entire Hela digression is useless to the story. We mount this whole expectation about Hela containing the secret to defeat the Inhibitors, and then, quite literally, we chicken out of it. So why did we go through all of that in the first place?
- The book builds expectations for all the wrong things. The cache weapons must be the ace in the sleeve, since everybody wants them, right? Wrong, they are no better than normal weapons (sometimes worse, since they can shoot only once) and make no difference whatsoever in the whole conflict. Aura must be the Messiah that will turn things around thanks to her superior knowledge, right? Wrong, she's actually wrong more often than she's right. And how about our Inhibitors? They just disappear in some unspecified manner.
- Too many wordy descriptions. Mr Reynolds, when you describe the fancy, completely invented weapons and propulsion systems, just saying "It's really advanced and pretty cool too" will suffice. Yammering page after page at how alien, and weird, and awesome they are gets old soon. Sometimes he even runs out of words to describe his own inventions! The machinery in Haldora is "too complex to understand, let alone to remember". The hypometric weapon is so complex that it gives you a headache just looking at it. What?
- The ending is, obviously, either an example of a deus ex machina or that the author just got tired of writing. I don't know which possibility is the worst.

I will continue reading Reynolds, and I still recommend the trilogy, but I certainly feel this book is inferior to Revelation Space.

Disapointing
I just want to add to what has been already said by my fellow reviewers that in my opinion this book is a very good idea so badly mistreated that it deserves to be rewritten from scratch. Reading this book is, at its best moments, uninteresting.

From Ultimate Potential to Ultimate Letdown
When I'm reading multiple books simultaneously, it's usually because I've relegated one to my "before bed" pile. Absolution Gap, the conclusion of Alastair Reynolds's Revelation Space series, was one of those. Unfortunately, it's also one of the longer books I've attacked in a couple months, and half an hour per night hardly pays quick dividends. Even worse, Reynolds' writing style is copious and unrelenting; I felt every single one of those pages.

I'm saying the novel is immense, folks. Stick with me, here.

The conclusion of this series is difficult to comment on. Once again, there are multiple plotlines interwoven, but two primarily stand out in a way not seen in previous entries. This time, two concurrent timelines separated by about 100 years slowly converge, giving ample time to provide character motivation, sufficient background, and foreshadowing.

The Inhibitors, now actively eradicating humanity, have finally caught up with Skade, who has also located Clavain, Scorpio, and the rest. While they work to find a method of escape or defeat these foes, a man named Quiache invents a religion based on watching Haldora, a gas giant, periodically vanish from the vantage of its moon, Hela. Aura, Khouri's daughter by Thorn from Redemption Ark, is apparently the key to contacting beings known only as the Shadows, which supposedly can defeat the Inhibitors. And Rashmika Els searches for her lost brother among the cathedrals that circumnavigate Hela in an effort to always keep it overhead.

These things really are the core of what's going on, and while the novel sets up all of the counter-plotting admirably, it does so very slowly to build ambiance. Very Slowly. Glacially, even. And frustratingly, there's almost no payoff for it. There are a couple mild surprises in store in the last few chapters, but even these were excessively telegraphed and predictable almost halfway through the novel. The conclusion is also a staggering cop-out. All of the preparation our characters perform, all of their investigations, new technologies, and even the Shadows and Wolves themselves, are effectively hurled into the nearest landfill, and an ending completely out of right field is bolted on as an afterthought.

This is probably the worst betrayal I've felt after finishing a space opera of any length. The characters' efforts are unimportant; the antagonists ultimately moot; the conclusion is only tangentially related to the rest of the novel. Reynolds invoked deus ex machina here, but did so by alluding to a circular time loop which is supposed to tie everything up in a neat, depressing little bow. Instead, it cheapens the struggles of every character introduced in the novel, reduces their travails to drab, pointless endeavors full of eloquent prose that accomplishes approximately nothing. If you're a fan of Neal Stephenson, some argue his novels lack clear endings--this is ten times worse.

Alastair's writing is as amazing and elaborate and cohesive as usual, but his pacing and plotting leave much to be desired. I actually feel robbed, an emotion none of his other books have imparted. Taken with the greater context of his other novels, this particular entry also seems oddly isolated; almost none of the established universe makes a single appearance except as an elusive location to evacuate before the Wolves arrive. It's all so pointless, and the vast amount of time it spends being pointless just makes it more aggravating. Luckily The Prefect more than redeems this bomb, so I'm not too trepidatious about pursuing Alastair's future work.

Absolution Gap relates to it's predecessors as "Return of the Jedi" did in comparison to the first two "Star Wars" films...
A lot of other reviewers seem to fixate on an apparent Deus Ex Machina at the conclusion of this book- but I did not find it as jarring as some, for reasons that I will discuss below. In short though, the potential reader should be aware of the critical response to this book, and it's rather controversial ending...

If you have read the first book in this series, Revelation Space, and if you're okay with the conclusion, then the end of Absolution Gap shouldn't pose too many irritations of the "convenient authorly sleight-of-hand" variety. Revelation Space ends with several main characters being saved from imminent destruction by a plot twist that has echoes of Dave Bowman's trip into the monolith, crossed with the terrible epilogue of Stephen Baxter's Titan (being neither as profound as the former or quite as ludicrous as the latter). In contrast, the ending of Absolution Gap is set up over time, with hints of a new alien menace being littered throughout the book, and while it feels like there probably should be another book between the end of the story proper, and the epilogue, it does nothing to diminish this story which is about the lives of Scorpio, Aura, Clavain, etc. and how they have responded to the threat of the Inhibitors.

Because the focus of the text is locked in on these characters, and the changes they have gone through, the enigmatic and somewhat open ending does not hinder the satisfying character-arcs of the individuals that have grown and changed over multiple volumes in this series. In many ways, Reynolds pushes his characters in directions that we the reader may not want him to (something reminiscent of what Herbert did in Dune Messiah (Dune Chronicles (Econo-Clad Hardcover))), but none of their actions seemed out of character.

Like many hard sci-fi novels, there are familiar themes that stir beneath the surface of this book- prescient children (along the lines of St Alia of the Knife/Leto and Ghanima Atreidies) that harbour prophetic insight; the mind virus of religion and the political ends it can be put to; the almost fetishistic descriptions of ever more exotic weapons and technology; plenty of alien BDOs (big dumb objects) that litter the cosmos waiting to be discovered, stolen, or activated. But Reynolds is better than most at infusing enough world-building novelty (drawn, no doubt, from his scientific expertise) and characterization, and while Banks's last few sci-fi novels have reeked of self-indulgence, Reynolds covers much of the same ground but still retains a certain freshness in his approach to writing. Reynolds is certainly not for everyone- but if you have liked his other books, then this one should prove to be enthralling, if a little uneven.

Surprise, the end!
Only the quality of the ideas in the story save Absolution Gap from the ignominy of a one star review.

A continuation of the storyline from Revelation Space and Redemption Ark, Absolution Gap starts out with one of Reynold's characteristic jumbled chronologies (necessary when dealing with slower than light travel and interstellar distances) and on a good foot, with the "discovery" of one of the critical locations in the novel, and the reintroduction of older characters from the previous stories.

Then he kills those characters off, and introduces a couple of new ones who lead the storyline to a conclusion they decide to abandon 10 pages before the end of the book, in favor of something from the middle of left field.And then surprise, it's 400 years later, and oh by the way, we won that war we've been building up to in the last three books.

In short, Absolution Gap ends about 100 pages too early, and in a highly disappointing fashion.I suppose it's still worth reading, because the technodrivel details are pretty neat and mostly well thought out, but just be prepared for the end to emulate an artificial black hole suddenly appearing in your living room. ... Read more

Product Description
From Walter Jon Williams, the celebrated and influential author of Hardwired, Voice of the Whirlwind, and Angel Station comes Implied Spaces, a new novel of post-singularity action, pyrotechnics, and intrigue. Aristide, a semi-retired computer scientist turned swordsman, a scholar of the implied spaces, seeking meaning amid the accidents of architecture in a universe where reality itself has been sculpted and designed by superhuman machine intelligence. While exploring the pre-technological world Midgarth, one of four dozen pocket universes created within a series of vast, orbital matrioshka computer arrays, Aristide uncovers a fiendish plot threatening to set off a nightmare scenario, perhaps even bringing about the ultimate Existential Crisis: the end of civilization itself! Traveling the pocket universes with his wormhole-edged sword Tecmessa in hand and talking cat Bitsy, avatar of the planet-sized computer Endora, at his side, Aristide must find a way to save the multiverse from subversion, sabotage, and certain destruction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

An Enjoyable Page-Turner
Implied Spaces is an enjoyable page turner with so many new an intriguing ideas coming at you it can be hard to keep up. You might think that you've picked up maybe the fifth or sixth book in an ongoing series, the backstory is so rich and complex. But no, it seems that Implied Spaces is just an incredibly fast-paced, deeply immersive stand-alone.

One of the many SF tropes in Implied Spaces is the idea that every person can "upload" to some sort of a computer so that, if they die, they can be brought back to life with all memories, emotions, and personality traits in tact. This technology is even used for long distance space travel, in which people "upload" into a small ship and leave their bodies behind. This is interesting, to be sure, but I found the characters cavalier attitude toward this process, and toward death itself, a bit disturbing. If you die, you are in fact dead. I'm not sure how the idea that an exact copy of you will be walking around, using your stuff, and interacting with your loved ones is supposed to be in any way comforting.

And one very minor quibble about the typesetting. The book uses a double space between sentences. While this may be how many of us learned to type in the 80s and before, it is certainly a no-no in publishing and makes for some jagged looking copy. Night Shade Press, please take note!

Excellent Zelazny Knockoff
I've always liked the work of Walter Jon Williams. His very first book, Knight Moves, was a Zelazny knockoff but he soon moved on to Cyberpunk and high tech sf. This book returns to the earlier form, with a preternaturally competent hero whose life spans centuries. Zelazny's heroes usually (though not always) worked in the shadows. Their actual identities were often unknown to the people whose lives they manipulated. Our hero in this book, Aristide (real name Pablo Perez) started life as a top computer scientist, participated in the establishment of the artificial intelligences which now run civilization, and spends much of his time as a vagabond swordsman investigating the "implied spaces," the spaces that grow naturally out of the artificial building of pocket universes.

On one such adventure, Aristide runs across a plot to take over all the Universes. After alerting the authorities, he volunteers to be a secret agent on a pocket Universe from which many kidnapping/brainwashings seem to have taken place. He sets up a persona named "Franz Sandow," an obvious homage to Francis Sandow, the protagonist of Zelazny's excellent Isle of the Dead. In Zelazny's book, Sandow was a "worldscaper," who could call upon mystical, even godlike powers to do his work. In this book, Aristide is almost as powerful, but his power depends upon his alliance with Endorra, one of the great artificial minds that run civilization.

My only complaint is the deus ex machina nature of the ending. Aristide gets a brilliant revelation about the nature of the Universe that the minds are able to use to come up with new technology. More than a little too pat, but still, I loved the concept, I loved the characters and I loved this book.

Too far-removed from reality to be compelling
When death is only a temporary inconvenience, any threat rings hollow. It felt like he was relying on the whiz-bang technology to keep people interested, rather than compelling characters or storylines.

fantastic!
This novel was like my personal energizer bunny. It just kept compelling me to keep reading. How can you go wrong with pocket universes, matrioshka arrays, wormholes, immorbid societies, clones, customized bodies, and AI pets? Sure it's a mashup of a lot of current SF ideas but that what makes those ideas great - they are worth reading about more than once. And yes it does appear to be a reworking of Aristoi but I loved that book too. And, thank you, it does actually qualify as entertainment - it doesn't end on a low note or ask the reader to supply the ending. And finally it stitches together a number of the things the author clearly enjoys writing about which translates to fun for the reader (and probably to tax deductions for those scuba trips!).

Daunting concepts.
Massive AIs, incorporating planetary masses. Renovations on a stelar scale. Nannotech. Pocket universes. Neural reprogramming by tailored nano/virus. Effective immortality. 'Rebooting' oneself. Avatar-clones. War. When death is only an inconvenience; when the worst thing you can do to a fellow sentient is remove his free will; when designer universes allow those with access to sufficient energy and computational power to create their very own paradise - or hell; when mankind becomes little less than gods; what happens when one of the most brilliant of the new gods goes a bit insane?

This is not, perhaps, William's best work - I found my self, like the protagonist Aristede, to be a bit too detached from events, but the sheer magnitude of the invention in the story setting is staggering. This novel barely scratches the surface of the possibilities, and opens many disturbing-yet-fascinating avenues for speculation. Fortunately, Williams declines to follow up on any but a very few of the possible threads, though the ones he did follow are hair-raising enough. If he'd followed too many, the story would've been lost, and become instead a travelogue through WJW's imagination. That's a fascinating - if no small bit daunting - prospect, and not for the faint of heart, nor does it belong in this novel. Kindly, WJW stays to the story, and it's a good one, if a bit less engaging than it might be - Aristede is simply too jaded and yet not sufficiently tortured, to make the most engaging protagonist. No Elric, he.

Yet, I wonder - does the Williams flinch from some of the darker implications created in his story? Or did he deliberately leave his own implied spaces for us to explore? ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (28)

Brutally dry read
Being a Lieutenant in the Army, I got this book thinking I would get some insight or at least enjoyment out of it (hopefully both), but instead this has turned out to be without a doubt the worst techno thriller I have ever read. First of all, there isn't anything nonfiction about this book; if this is nonfiction, then so is every other techno thriller novel ever written. Secondly, this book is filled with more technical jargon and acronyms than most military publications. If you enjoy reading TMs, FMs and ARs in your spare time, then you may enjoy this book. I've had to heavily skim through the book just to make it about 2/3 of the way after two months of trying to read it, and at this point I've given up. I just don't even care how it ends. Do yourself a favor and read a true nonfiction book if you want to learn something or pick up a book from a more accomplished novelist if you just want a good read.

Space Wars
A great read - Even though the book is fiction you'll gain some insight re: US security systems - hardware/software/their operations, how other countries interact with US (esp Iran) and a wake-up call for Western society. This should be read by all U.S. Citizens...especially the politicians

Hard read, but incedible fictionalized story of true events
This book is very detailed and makes it somewhat difficult to maintain concentrated, but the events as unfolded can lead one to believe that we are headed down that exact path. Descriptions of the Nov 2008 presidential election and the subsequent unravelling of American influence in the world are stunningly accurate right up thru the current date. The 2nd half of the book is almost impossible to take a break from. I intend to re-read this book to no doubt pick out more detail.

Nailbiting AND realistic
Unlike novels (even Fist of God), this is a real nailbiter that throws in a real world scenario.
Space is the next frontier: already told by many, but confirmed now.
The possibilities are NOT fiction and the author throws in a curve ball many times (the canadian woman caught and killed, the chinese laser attack against the spaceplane), etc.

Fine, if you like bad right-wing US gamer writing
Even though I read some reviews like mine prior to buying (or reading) this title, I thought I'd take the chance, since the topic is interesting. Pity. The topic is still good, but this book is awful. It's written very much from a right wing US "us jarheads know everything" point of view. All the civs are dumb, whiney, paunchy and badly-dressed (except when they are retired military). The military types are all cleancut ramrods who cuss. They all look like Roger Ramjet. Their management style leaves a little to be desired (mainly cussing and getting impatient with the civs). They probably chew tobacco too.

To like this book I would have had to be the sort of person who beleves in the "nook 'em til the rubble dances" school. Like the majority, both in the US and worldwide, I'm not.

I'm writing this as president-elect Obama arrives in Washington to deliver his Inauguration Address. Let's hope he can change the future - if this book reflects any sort of underlying reality he will have his work cut out for him.

It's a great pity; there's still room out there for an intelligent well-written novel on this issue. But this ain't it. To sum up: a waste of money and paper. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Not as good as the front cover
I bought this book when i thought that the contents will be as beautiful as the photo on the front cover. Unfortunately, the rest of the book photos didn't drive my attention much. ... Read more

Product Description
How did the universe begin? How hot is the sun? How long does it take to get to the moon? Find out the answers to these questions and more in Magic Tree House Research Guide: Space, Jack and Annie’s very own guide to the secrets of the universe. Including information on stars, planets, space travel, life on other planets, and much more! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

not correct facts
This book has inacurate facts like saturn has the most moons -it has 31 ..jupiter has 60 get your facts strait before screwing up kids heads! not good ..

Fantastic Seller!
Great seller service!I got the item very quickly and the book was in great condition!

Needs an update
This is a bit out of date. Perhaps children won't mind. Pluto is no longer a planet. Plans for humans to go to Mars have been scrapped. The Very Large Telescope in Chile was completed years ago. Etc.

It says there is no proof that UFO's exist when clearly objects that haven't been identified do exist, there's just no proof they are space aliens.

But, nevertheless probably a fun book for kids who like science.

Snazzy Resource
The kids realy like the animations and presentations of this book.While it is definately not boring, the planets themselves get only one page each of factual info in super small text.The solar system overview chapter was great for group reading and was primarily what I used from the book, including a photo of a meteorite in comparison to the size of children.Translation: great as a fun addition to learning but not to replace hard fact texts and in-depth lesson plans.
----You don't need to read the accompanying Magic Tree House fiction book in order to use this research guide.

Not a fan of the Big Bang Theory
My kids love these research guide books from Magic Tree House writers but this one was a disappointment. One whole chapter was devoted to the big bang theory which we personally don't believe in. They should have skipped this chapter and focused on facts. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (14)

Great Book!
I love this book and read it almost daily.Libby's style is very clean, comfortable and modern.She has some fantastic before and after pictures of rooms. I have used many of her ideas and have received lots of compliments.

Simply the best
I have always loved to read decorating books. Most of them have great pictures but verylittle real information on how they achieve the end result. This book gives you very specific ideas on how to get a pulled together look. I went to look at several model home(condos) that are now being sold in my area. I saw libby's ideas and understood why the decorator made the choices he/she did. It was like seeing something for the first time. I love this book!! Libby is the best!

Very Clever ideas and inspirational book
This is the perfect book for who lives in a small house. It gave me countless ideas of what to do and how to optimise storage without looking cluttered. You have to READ the book and not only look at pictures because most of the ideas are explained in detail. Of course you have to adapt to your needs, afterall, the author is not at your house giving a personal consultation.

Libby's tricks on how to use light, draperies, glass and mirrors are my favourites, they have done wonders for my little flat. I am thinking about one room at the time so, I am focused on different spaces and needs each time I read the book. I keep coming back and reading it all again and again. Each time there is a new finding that can fix a little problem that has been bothering me. Some chapters are divided by room use: bathroom, living room. kitchen, but if you live in a small space, those rooms are not always well defined so, read it all and adapt the ideas. I highly recommend it!

The biggest problem with people who buy books about decoration is that they expect to find THEIR houses pictured in the makeovers. That simply won't happen! If you don't read, and only look at pictures, you won't know what is behind the purpose of that picture and can miss important tricks that could be applied to your own house for your benefit.

A LITTLE disapointed
Was looking forward to this book.When it arrived I was disapointed with what was inside.I thought I would find a lot of ideas to use in my house and for family members houses, but I was wrong.Wish I would of looked at it in a book store before I bought it.

Wasn't as good as I expected.
I was a bit disappointed.It just did not have the practical tips I was hoping for. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

Fantastic
I laughed and cried and "related" to this memoir.I am a teacher in a low socioeconmic area and I so related to this "mission".Thanks, Heidi.

Hope and renewal amid inner city rubble and ruin
Breathing Space takes you on an insider's tour of the South Bronx. Heidi Neumark describes the devastation with an unflinching honesty, but unlike purveyors of "urban porn," she also helps us see the hope, beauty and possibility embodied in her neighbors and parishioners. We are introduced to them in their full humanity. And through their stories, Pastor Neumark's readers are invited into a deeper understanding of a world few of us could otherwise imagine or relate to. It's an understanding that doesn't gloss over the outrageous waste and loss, but it's communicated with such warmth, humor, grace, and power that readers can't help but be inspired.

Inspirational -- pun intended.
This book was absolutely wonderful.I recieved it from a friend of mine who was an intern under Pastor Heidi -- and am very glad that he sent it to me.It is a bold book and a much needed to hear story.She writes in a compelling manner and has rich experiences to share with the reader.I thank her and the congregation at Transfiguration for sharing this blessing.

Remarkable book, by an even more remarkable person
I don't know where to begin in describing my admiration. The book is remarkable, blending bible studies and religion with politics, etymology, and common sense in telling compelling, well written stories. But even more than that is what the book shows about Heidi Neumark-her courage, feeling, and remarkable commitment to justice and humanity. Some people are committed to humanity as a nameless, theoretical mass. Her commitment is far more difficult and meaningful since it is to real people, one person at a time. The world is lucky to have someone like her. I wish that the rich and powerful could all be required to read this book.

The Publishers' Weekly review says that the book will "appeal to people of faith across the political spectrum."In fact, as someone at the other end of the faith spectrum, it appealed to me, in both senses of the word "appeal."

Sacred space
Heidi Neumark was pastor for many years at the Transfiguration Lutheran Church, in the south Bronx area of New York City.Her congregation was fairly typical of what any lower-income inner-city parish might be -- Hispanic, African-American, people in need, people experienced in poverty and violence.The title comes physically from the idea that, in the midst of one of the wealthier cities on earth, the children have the highest incidence of asthma in the nation.However, beyond this physical description, the daily stress and strain of inner-city living, with gunshots, drugs, crime, poverty and oppression continually surrounding, makes breathing easy a difficult task.

Neumark recalls some of her difficulties with her own spiritual practices.Drawing on the advice of spiritual masters of the past to incorporate distractions rather than attempting to block them out, she would try to add the stress to her prayer life as a working component -- however, when weapons fire seemed to ricochet every time she went to pray, it became difficult if not impossible.

In the face of all the difficulties, there was hope and renewal at Transfiguration.Neumark shares the stories of many parishioners, as well as her own internal struggles and personal experiences, that show the way the spirit of God is alive and active even in the worst of conditions.Neumark highlights the irony of the situation at times -- in the South Bronx, there is plenty of money for state-of-the-art prisons, and keeping juveniles in the system is big business, but the money for education and real plans for improvement is non-existent.This kind of societal choice in the face of residents can be demoralising, to say the least.And yet, at Transfiguration, there are elements of hope, determination for outreach and care to address the issues that the governmental powers neglect.

Quite often, those helped by the church were not church members themsevles.Transfiguration being an urban church, Neumark was frequently approached by those in need, looking for any available help.Milly, a young woman who suffered from the asthma so many bear in the area, was one such person, whose connections with Neumark and the congregation provided a much-needed space for Milly to turn her life in a positive direction.Like many things in the urban church, change was slow and often painful, but Milly (and many others) relied on the church.

The stories are difficult to read, difficult to understand in a human sense.But the spirit that pervades Neumark's work is a joy to behold.Read with care, and read with prayer. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1978, the first group of space shuttle astronauts was introduced to the world -- twenty-nine men and six women who would carry NASA through the most tumultuous years of the space shuttle program. Among them was USAF Colonel Mike Mullane, who, in his memoir Riding Rockets, strips the heroic veneer from the astronaut corps and paints them as they are -- human.

Mullane's tales of arrested development among military flyboys working with feminist pioneers and post-doc scientists are sometimes bawdy, often comical, and always entertaining. He vividly portrays every aspect of the astronaut experience, from telling a female technician which urine-collection condom size is a fit to hearing "Taps" played over a friend's grave. He is also brutally honest in his criticism of a NASA leadership whose bungling would precipitate the Challenger disaster -- killing four members of his group. A hilarious, heartfelt story of life in all its fateful uncertainty, Riding Rockets will resonate long after the call of "Wheel stop." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (89)

A good story, flawed in the telling
Mike Mullane's Riding Rockets is a case of Jeckle-and-Hyde writing.Give him credit, he is a good writer, as witnessed by his descriptions of earth from orbit, he and his wife's distress sweating out launch scrubs, his crush on Judy Resnik (several of us non-astronauts had one too), and his grief at her death aboard Challenger. However, the price you pay for this, is his insistent descriptions of his and his fellow Neanderthal's infantile and chauvanistic behavior, eliciting numerous "When will you guys ever grow up?" questions from wives, co-workers, and even other male ex-military astronauts. If the embarrassing "gross jokes" weren't enough, we are also subjected to political rants from buddies who were "to the right of the John Birch Society", and which serve no purpose in the narrative.At first, these are like a time capsule into a less-enlightened time in society, but they grow wearying, then downright annoying when they continue unabated, ad infinitum, ad naseum (almost literally.) In this, his editor is as much to blame for not reducing their number to just enough to give us the idea.No one expected squeaky clean boy-scout astronauts, but let's say we hoped for better than adolescents. It was a relief to read in the epilog that Mullane had since matured enough to be a reasonably safe public speaker. So if you don't mind skipping every 5th page, the rest is nevertheless an interesting insight into what being a shuttle astronaut was like.

Prime Crew of Astronaut Books!
First, Mullane does something no author NASA author has been able to do, yet has been encountered a million times. He answers two of the most common questions every astronaut has been asked since 1961.

Question 1. "What does it feel like to be in space?" Mullane's vivid, detailed and personal accounts give us the best experience yet in understanding so many aspects of what being in space was like. While robotic personalities from Neil, Buzz and others have totally failed us, Mullane's secret is to include his emotions, the whole mix. He is an outstanding writer and as a result, he did the best job yet of giving us a ride along side of him. Really wonderful stuff. The reason so many others failed to tell us is perhaps simple, they lack a dynamic personality and Mullane has one in spades.

Question 2. "How do astronauts go to the bathroom?" Once again, Mullane tackles head on this most favorite question from kids to the old. Injecting endless amounts of humor into, once again, super detailed descriptions results in an entertaining yet super informative description of how it all works. I also enjoyed how breaching the subject helps bring down the God-like astronaut to mere mortal status. Some may complain about "bathroom humor", but come on, this is fantastic stuff and I can't imagine anyone doing a better job on this subject. Do we really need another techno-babble filled account of aeronautics? I say no. It was high time we had such a funny character reveal the inner workings of space toilets!

In addition to all this, Mullane does even more. As someone who has worked with fantastic and horrible leaders, I truly appreciated his assessment of Abbey and Young. Again, working with humor and wit, he revealed serious issues and demonstrated how weak, nay completely dysfunctional, leadership can hurt any organization. Read it carefully, the best and brightest were leaving NASA due to poor leadership. Think of all that training (tax payer funded) going to waste for what - ego? I only wish more people would address these types of "leaders" in every facet of business and government and help us all realize the best leaders are those who inspire us, not give us fear, headaches and misery. Finally, Mullane tackles issues of race, gender and more through a completely honest (and hysterical) presentation and analysis of his own awkwardness as a man, military officer and more. If anyone is offended by this, they have a major stick up their you know where, because this man was brutally honest in revealing not just his thoughts and actions, but how he grew and changed.

So, like many of you I have read perhaps 50 books on the space program. I am telling you, if you like this "genre" this is a MUST read. It is certainly the best book by any Shuttle astronaut and one of the most unique and humorous of all time. The only one that I can think of that comes close is Michael Collins, also a funny and witty guy, but certainly G-rated in comparison.

All the best and all the worst--one of the best books of its kind
Of all the astronaut memoirs, this has to be one of the most candid, funny, and poetic. Mullane pulls no punches about the politics and BS inside NASA, so you see the Shuttle program warts and all--its dangers, costs, and deaths. But he's a true romantic at heart and a superb writer talking about flight and exploration, and there may no better communicator of the overwhelming beauty he experienced in earth orbit. Highly recommended.

Great Lessons Learned
I was first introduced to the world of Mike Mullane as a motivational speaker. My company brought him in to talk about "Countdown to Teamwork".His inspiring words about the normalization of deviance was a wake up call for me and prompted me to read his book. I appreciated his wit, humor and honesty.I hated him in parts and I loved him in other pats of the book. He entertained me with his analogies and tales of the space program. I will say, I now have an appreciation for NASA and it's astronauts I never had before. His powerful message comes out in this book also. Fantastic read!

Open and honest view of life as an astronaut
What a great book, couldn't put it down. This is a rare look at life as an astronaut, the ups and downs, the emotion, fear, and problems with management. First time I've ever heard an astronaut say that most of them are absolutely scared to death sitting on the launch pad, knowing they're sitting in a machine that could kill them in a variety of horrible ways, all while their families are watching. What makes this a rare find among the countless books written by those inside the space program is the complete lack of bravado. Mike shares his fears, how it affected his family and the families of his fellow astronauts, and the shared view among astronauts of how NASA management put safety behind politics. Some reviewers have stated that he is critical of John Young, and he is critical of John Young as a manager and the way political games affected flight assignments. But he obviously agrees that John Young was a phenomenal astronaut, just a lousy manager. Frankly, from interviews I have seen with John Young he doesn't seem to be the managerial type. Nothing wrong with that, his place was in the cockpit, not behind a desk. And it seems apparent to me from the many books and programs on the space program that I have read and seen that the political aspect of flight assignments dates back to the earliest days of the space program. This book is the first that I have read that confirms that view. If you're looking for a book that talks about the shuttle or mission detail, then this isn't the book for you. If you want to know what life as an astronaut is like behind the scenes, than this is as good as any I have read. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the eighty year history of developing reusable lifting--reentry spacecraft. From the early works of Eugen Sanger in Germany to the Cold War developments in the United States, and finally to the ultimate experiment--the Space Shuttle. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Space Shuttle launch, this greatly enlarged third edition adds many previously uncovered early designs, details the latest modifications to the operational vehicles, and provides expanded coverage of the first 100 Space Shuttle missions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Awesome!


This book is fantastic! The details it gives are incredible and if you are a serious Shuttle fan and want to know the cool, rarely released technical stuff, you need this book! I can't put it down! It also has beautiful pictures!

F A N T A S T I C
Since I purchased this book, I cannot put it down. The detail, the diagrams, the pictures, the print quality and the sheer amount of information are just staggering. With Space Shuttle mission STS-133 (the 134th and last Space Shuttle mission) scheduled for completion by Discovery later this year, I will eagerly look forward to revised update by Dennis R. Jenkins which chronicles the entire National Space Transportation System program. I personally thank him for such excellent work and am quickly becoming a huge fan having recently purchased Magnesium Overcast and Hypersonic on a recent holiday to the USA.

The only Space Shuttle book you will ever need.
This large hard cover publication is an absolute must own for your NASA library. Amazing in depth-detail written with regard for the layman. The only issue for me was the very small amount of colour photos. If your buying this book for reference e.g. model kit building (as I have), it's brilliant because you will become intimate with the shuttle & it's workings. You will come to appreciate the complexity of this iconic space-craft & thus be motivated to capture it's power in your model kit. I would recommend this book to the enthusiast & to anyone with a passing interest in the shuttle/program, BRILLIANT!

Crave Details?They're In Here
"Space Shuttle: The History of the National Space Transportation System. The First 100 Missions." Long title. Big book. Loads of detail. A treasure for shuttle geeks like me.
This book is packed with mission details and hundreds of rare photographs. One shows a close up of one of the struts that holds the shuttle onto it's 747 carrier. On it are stenciled the words: "PLACE ORBITER HERE. BLACK SIDE DOWN. LEFTY LOOSEY, RIGHTY TIGHTY." Where else are you going to find things like that? It's all here. Pictures, histories, charts, and diagrams. Like the missions chronicled inside, this reasonably-priced book will take some time to analyze and review again and again so you can catch all the details.

Great book for your library or for reference
I bought this book as a keepsake, but have found it very informative. Shuttle workers and space enthusiasts alike will enjoy this book. ... Read more

Product Description
When Improving Performance: Managing the White Space on the Organization Chart was published in 1990, it was lauded as the book that launched the Process Improvement revolution. This was the book that first detailed an approach that bridged the gaps between organization strategy, work processes and individual performance. Two decades later, White Space Revisited goes beyond a mere revision of that groundbreaking book and refocuses on the ultimate purpose of organizations, which is to create and sustain value.This book picks up where Improving Performance left off and shares what we have learned about process in the past 15 years since it was published and how the reader (primarily practitioners) can capitalize on these notions in their own pursuit of process excellence.

White Space Revisited is a comprehensive resource that offers process and performance professionals a conceptual foundation, a thorough and proven methodology, a set of remarkable working tools for doing process work in a more significant way, and a series of candid observations about the practice of Business Process Management (BPM). The book’s time-tested methods, models, tools, and guidelines serve to align people, process, and technology

White Space Revisited includes information on a wealth of vital topics and

• Describes the difference in impact of focusing on single processes vs. large scale improvements
• Provides an integrated step-by-step blueprint for designing, implementing, and sustaining process management
• Offers a detailed methodology for strategic and tactical process definition and improvement
• Spells out how to leverage the power of IT to optimize organizational performance
• Shows how to integrate the energy and value of Six Sigma, Process Improvement and Process Management into an effective Process Excellence Group

Customer Reviews (3)

Another Home Run
Once again, Geary Rummler and his team have provided superb guidance and cutting analysis. This book is one of the best I have read on the how to's of process and process management. Geary, Alan, and Rick lay out an extremely valuable framework (the Value Creation Hierarchy) and provide the tools and methods to define this framework. The book is well written, descriptive, and provides superior examples. I was especially taken with their discussions of how other "process" approaches have gone off track - right on the money. I've seen the same things myself in too many cases. If you truly want to learn how to approach process and organizational management, read this book!

The Rummler legacy lives on...
A+++...as a Process Manager/Consultant with over 20 years of experience across multiple industries, I consider this a "must read" for everyone within the process improvement community.

George Schultz
Business Process Mgr, MBA, PMP

A Must Read Book on Process and Performance Improvement
In 1990, after decades of work helping companies improve their business processes, Geary A. Rummer joined with his business partner, Alan Brache to publish Improving Performance:How to Manage the White Space on the Organization Chart.The book proved a seminal event in the development of the business process movement, still sells, and is often known as the"white space" book.The "white space" referred to in the title is the space between the departmental silos one finds on any organization chart - and the way on manages them is by defining business processes that flow across the various silos to produce and ultimately sell the organization's products and services.

This new book was written by Geary Rummler, his long time colleague, Alan Ramias and his son, Rick Rummler over the course of the past two years to provide an update on what they have learned since the first book was published in 1990.Given Rummler's importance in shaping the thinking of so many, this publication of this update will necessarily be a major event.

To my way of thinking, Geary Rummler was always the performance analysts' performance analyst.He didn't promote himself in the way that others did and was never as well known to the general public as process gurus like Edwards Deming or Michael Hammer.On the other hand, over the course of his career, he has done more to influence the way process improvement work is actually done today than anyone else I know.The quality control community owes the emphasis on defining processes at the core of Six Sigma to Geary's work at Motorola.Similarly, the IT community owes their current swimlane-based, customer-focused BPMN diagrams to Geary's efforts to create flow diagrams that business people could easily understand.And we all owe Geary thanks for his relentless emphasis on process change that improved corporate and human performance.

Over the years Improving Performance has been a bible to many process practitioners.Reviewers have consistently said that it was the best book to give to business mangers who were looking for an introduction to process.Predictably, this new book, summarizing Geary Rummler's latest thinking about process analysis, process management, and organizational performance, will be widely read by new managers who are trying to make their organizations more process centric, and by today's process practitioners who are trying to figure out how to fit all the various technologies together into a whole.

I was proud to be asked to write the Foreword to this book and recommend it to anyone who wants a comprehensive introduction to what process and performance improvement is all about.


... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Not as good as I'd hoped...
I was hoping for something along the lines of Living Large in Small Spaces, which I recommend as far more useful. This lacks such features as floor plans and interviews with owners and renters. You can's really see how the arrangement pictured fits into a space less than 1000 square feet. It also seems to assume home ownership -- not always the case for people looking for tips on how to live in small spaces!And the tip format can seem didactic and overbearing. I also found that some tips and photos were repeated.That said, there are some very attractive pictures and useful ideas.

Small spaces at last!
I've been looking for ideas for small spaces and have found that too many authors think small is anything under 2,500 square feet.Delighted to have found a book that understands small!Worth close reading and examination.

Cons: More floor plans would be good.Some spaces don't look that small in the photos and others look staged with no room to actually use or walk thru the space.

nice pictures and ideas
I liked the pictures in the book and used them even more than I read the list of ideas that fill the book. I found that you do not have to create the exact same room they have in there, you can use the same principles and different items to create a more individual look. However, I think that most of the rooms shown here are not that small, making the book more applicable living in a small house or most regular size apartments. If you live in a studio for example,you may need to use some other references.

Fabulous Tips
This is an extremely helpful book that contains many suggestions for dealing with small spaces.I have a library of about 10 books relating to small space organization and design, and this is in the top 5.My biggest complaint is that few of the suggestions actually list suppliers of the items pictured.I was able to find a few of these items in Dwell magazine.

Lots of Ideas
I'm moving from a 2500 sq ft home in the 'burbs to what I hope to be a 750 sq ft apt in Manhattan. I have not found a better book to give me ideas of how to organize my space in such a way that my husband and I feel like we are in a home rather than an apartment that feels like a college dorm room. This is a good book. Lots of pictures and lots of locales - not all in the US which I found interesting. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Satisfied
Reallygood contents, images and material (paper issemiglossy, so easy toread almost at anyangle, no much reflection of light).I bought other 2 books about the Hubble telescope and 3 of them are complement. Very happy.

The latest Hubble Images
Short of actually going into space and seeing with your own eyes through a powerful telescope such as the Hubble, this is the next best thing.
This publication is for your library of Astronomy, bar none.

That's a nice 20th birthdate
This is the first Hubble photobook I ever bought. Probably because it's still operational snapping and capturing amazing pictures. Thus I figured it wouldn't be a wise thing to do; buying a static book while each month new and stunning images are being released. But because it's Hubble's 20th anniversary I figured I'd break the habit and buy this special NASA authorized book.

I live in Holland so it took a couple of weeks for the book to arrive, but finally here it is. First impression: a nice sleek hardcover book with absolutely high quality picture resulution and colour. There's a fine balance between the amount of photo's and text, though in essence it's a photo-book. You won't be disappointed.

Upon first reading I was really impressed by the image quality. Black is really deep-black instead of dark-grey and the resolution is just that high I felt compelled to take a magnifying glas to zoom in on all those beautiful pictures... And so I did, but I have to disappoint you: it's a book. If you want that zoom-in experience; go to the Hubble website.

Anyway, the written contribution is impressive. Edward J. Weiler was Chief scientist for the Hubble telescope from 1979 till 1998, among other functions, he now is the current associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA. Pretty impressive, but that doesn't mean you have to fear thick and tiresome bureaucratic writing. The texts are accessible yet detailed, image captions detail the scientific essence without losing it's clarity, and there are quotes from actual astronauts who were out there deploying, repairing and servicing Hubble. That's just cool.

Many pictures from the actual Hubble missions are there as well. Many of which were made before the digital camera age. So you would expect some graininess, especially with the 1990 and 1993 missions. But it's not there. The scans are crisp and compelling. They absolutely capture the beauty and awe of manned spaceflight.

Verdict. This is a beautifully published book, ideal for coffee-table reading. The images are just straight out amazing! You'll spend hours peering over all the crisp details, it's just incredible. Downside are the images spanning two pages... It's annoying to see the luminous center of an amazing galaxy being buried in the central gutter; but hey surprise! It's a book. And that's the main downside of this book: it's a book. There will be many more beautiful Hubble images and discoveries for years to come and eventually those will end up in book-form as well. An until that day "Hubble: A Journey Through Space and Time" will be an impressive, graphic and up-to-date testimonial to Hubble's amazing service. Just don't forget to read the text, you will learn a lot.

Last words: In his april 2010 NASA speech, President Obama told he had a Hubble picture of Jupiter hanging at the oval office wall. If that is so: I recommend him to put this book on his desk as well.

Amazing & Beauiful
Amazing and Beautiful - it's is hard to say anything less.

I could not wait to receiv this and when I received it I couldn't put it down. Not only are the pictures incredible, but it is packed with interesting facts not only about the data it obtains, but about how it came into being, and each of the missions that have served to give it the ability to provide those amazing images.

this will become a treasured tennant of my bookshelf. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (11)

Inner Reaches of Outer Space
Campbell draws comparisons between the interweaving dark and light lateral nerves along the spine of the yogic cakras to the caduceus, the crucifixion of Christ, Sumero-Akkadian serpent-god,Ningishzida and twined serpent images in Aztec and Navaho culture as well as others.The common theme is of duality twining around a central spine, support or path.One of those twines or sides is inner and the other outer.We are what they twine around.
The depth of his insight is likeviewing a familiar landscape from place both higher and yet closer.Some sentences are very long and need to be deciphered more than read.That is most likely the result of trying to elucidate the ineffable.

Metaphors in mythology
Joseph Campbell has been my mentor for years. He brings our consciousness to another level with this one!!!

Campbell at his best
I know, I know, everyone will point to Campbell's astonishing Hero with a Thousand Faces, and his 4-part book series on different traditions, but I love this book. I think it's because it is Campbell in his later years, synthesizing all he has learned over decades of study, and applying it to the future. It also is one of the more accessible Campbell books in terms of folks who don't usually read high-end academic works being able to follow it without re-reading every other paragraph. (That is NOT a criticism -- Joseph Campbell packed a lot into each of his brilliant thoughts). Another book I'd recommend is the biography on him, "Fire in the Mind."

Mythology for the layman
Joseph Campbell introduces us to the world of mythology and reality making the case that for most of human history, they are one in the same.

I give this book 5 stars because it is the best presentation of this type of information for laymen I have found.

His writings have brought up the argument that what is lacking in America today is an education in mythology. This is something that would not only enhance an individuals life by adding value to our culture which is in my opinion too often dismissed as empty, but also would enhance our connection with our past and our future.

Joseph Campbell has influenced many people and many creative efforts. George Lucas credits Mr Campbell with making StarWars a better movie. In fact Mr Campbell's interviews with Bill Moyers (on many PBS stations) was taped at Skywalker Ranch. I found this link indranet.com/welcometoearth having searched for information about Mr Campbell.

In addition to those seeking anthropological or spiritual information, if you enjoy magical stories like Harry Potter or science fiction stories then you will enjoy The Inner Reaches of Outer Space.

Excellent, but little flaws.
Reading Campbells' work can indeed be an enlightening experience and "The Inner Reaches of Outer Space" is no exception...mostly. The book however strays dangerously close to the "New Age" in several places. In an early chapter he presents Kants' idea of a priori knowlage as proven fact (it is far from proven). In another chapter he lapses into a discussion that sounds suspiciously like numerology (Mr. Campbell, someone as smart as you should know that there is no connection between the number of bumps on a golf ball and hindu mythology.) These minor flaws aside, it is a brilliant book and a great summation of Campbells work. ... Read more

Product Description
DK presents exciting new covers for 13 of your favorite Ultimate Sticker Books: Animal, Baby Animal, Ballet, Bug, Bulldozer, Dangerous Dinosaurs, Dinosaur, Ancient Egypt, Farm, Pony, Shark and Whale, Space, and Truck. Annotated with factual information, each book contains more than 60 full-color, reusable stickers so children can create their own fun scenes. ... Read more

Product Description

A Space on the Side of the Road vividly evokes an "other" America that survives precariously among the ruins of the West Virginia coal camps and "hollers." To Kathleen Stewart, this particular "other" exists as an excluded subtext to the American narrative of capitalism, modernization, materialism, and democracy. In towns like Amigo, Red Jacket, Helen, Odd, Viper, Decoy, and Twilight, men and women "just settin'" track a dense social imaginary through stories of traumas, apparitions, encounters, and eccentricities. Stewart explores how this rhythmic, dramatic, and complicated storytelling imbues everyday life in the hills and forms a cultural poetics. Alternating her own ruminations on language, culture, and politics with continuous accounts of "just talk," Stewart propels us into the intensity of this nervous, surreal "space on the side of the road." It is a space that gives us a glimpse into a breach in American society itself, where graveyards of junked cars and piles of other trashed objects endure along with the memories that haunt those who have been left behind by "progress."

Like James Agee's portrayal of the poverty-stricken tenant farmers of the Depression South in Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, this book uses both language and photographs to help readers encounter a fragmented and betrayed community, one "occupied" by schoolteachers, doctors, social workers, and other professionals representing an "official" America. Holding at bay any attempts at definitive, social scientific analysis, Stewart has concocted a new sort of ethnographic writing that conveys the immediacy, density, texture, and materiality of the coal camps. A Space on the Side of the Road finally bridges the gap between anthropology and cultural studies and provides us with a brilliant and challenging experiment in thinking and writing about "America." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

This book is excellent
Susan Lepselter's poetic account of the creation of meaning by a betrayed and disenfranchised community is truly mesmerizing, but may be too dense for those uninitiated in the rigmarole of social theory.Her work is actually quite accessible compared to other writers in the field, and so makes itself vulnerable by straddling two different markets, the academic and the quasi-popular.Still, the book is moving and very enjoyable to read, and I can't recommend it enough.

Pretentious post-structuralist jargon
This ethnography is so laden with academic jargon that it is nearly unreadable and the coal mining towns she is supposedly studying are lost amidst Stewart's excessive and meandering theorizing. Stewart fails to center the reader and we are given little background information on the people and places that she is conducting fieldwork on. Nearly every other sentence begins with the annoying command directed at the reader to "picture this" or "imagine that." The few interviews we get from her informants are poorly placed and scantily contextualized. This book is much more about Stewart showing off than coal mining towns and she tosses around quotes by theorists Bakhtin, Kristeva, and Bauman without really understanding what they mean.

Despite her terrible writing, she does make some interesting points, but none insightful enough that you couldn't gather it from a better book that is able to utilize theory in a productive and clear manner. Stewart does make some interesting observations on the talk of the coal mining communities, but again they are lost in the dense tangle of weeds that Stewart mires them in.

Brilliant and Challenging
Kathleen Stewart's book is not for everyone. Seemingly some people have even taken offense. Still, as a social scientist (I have a chair in organization studies), I cannot recommend this book highly enough, for itrepresents a critical avenue of development for writing social theory. Whether it presents the truth of the West Virginian experience I cannot say, as I've never visited the hollers she writes of (but I haven't seen a better analysis either, so I intend to believe her until somebody effectively disproves her), but I can state that she has found a way of writing about her experiences and communicating theory which is amazingly fresh and goes directly to the problem of developing critique in late modernity. I've rarely been moved to tears by a non-fiction book, but I wept while reading this -- tears of sheer joy of appreciating a brilliant mind. Should be required reading for all social scientists.

pretention and distance
As a West Virginian and an aspiring anthropologist, I was extremely disturbed by Stewart's approach to her subjects. I understand her impulse to write reflexively and her reluctance to impose meaning, but by allowing the text to be consumed by quasi-philosophical meanderings instead of communicating some concrete sense about her subjects, their way of life, and her relationships with them, Stewart does the people she claims to respect a great disservice. It's as though she's using them in the name of a broader academic mission, rather than concentrating on their experience itself.

When you describe people as living in a 'phantasmogoric dreamworld' and 'an alternative narrative space,' you are assigning another KIND of meaning -- one even more problematic than that of more traditional approaches. In the end, the book creates more distance between the reader and rural West Virginians than had previously existed. Kathleen Stewart may well believe that this is the role or the inevitable outcome of ethnography. If so, I hope she'll stay the hell away from my home state.

Unamerican Nightmares
In one of the most profoundly affecting social science books I have read,Kathleen Stewart adopts a radical and poetic language to summon up theinarticulacies of people in a world got down.In an environment surroundedby ghosts, lost hopes and debris from other times, the denizens of thisspace manufacture tales, phantasmogoric stories which conjure up powerfulforces beyond their control.It is through these stories that they try togain possession of their own lives and environment in a capitalist Americawhich systematically disempowers and uses up people and resources.

Byavoiding leftist reified and conservative discourse, the impact of theseforces on ordinary people is relayed in a humane and grounded fashion,devoid of meta-theoretical abstractions, which preserves their dignity andshares their insights.Kathleen's imaginative and empathetic approachcannot be too highly commended, for it is this which ultimately provokes ananger that working people should be treated with such disdain, by middleclass academics as well as by capital. ... Read more

Product Description
In these hectic times, it's important to create space for God. This second edition helps us develop a fuller life with God. Using the art of Van Gogh and the writings of authors such as John Calvin and C. S. Lewis, Don Postema has crafted a series of meditative readings and spiritual exercises that will enrich your spiritual journey. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Study, Reflection and Art
I worked through this book in 1994-5 when I was going through a very difficult transition in my life.The part that has stayed with me in the last 13 years is choosing to be thankful and grateful each day and writing what you are thankful for down.

Between the spiritual discipline of thankfulness, the weeks of taking time in them morning and evening to pray through the Psalms, and the art and poetry in the book, I was able to come out of a dark period of my life when new appreciation for the small things each day and an increased observation of life and the world around me.

Spiritual Enlightenment
This is my second time in the study of Space For God.It achieves the fact how important we should take time to experience God in our lives.The only way is to make space for Him.Don Postema gives excellent points on how to do this.

For leaders, I recommend the Leader's Guide.It helps in bringing your class together for a rich bible class experience.

Make space for this book in your life!
This devotional guide is essential for sane living in today's world. I ordered this copy because I have loaned my original to a friend and hate to ask her to return it; I hope she's enjoying it as much as I have for many years.

It's perfect for restoring a parched, or even slightly dry, spiritual life; it's also perfect for starting each day regardless of spiritual condition.

Draws me gently into prayer
This is a tremendous resource.I am currently on my second copy of this book.Unlike many spirituality books, this one is not in any way preachy or directive.Postema provides artwork, hymns, reflections, scriptures, and excerpts from various sources, all of which can serve as a jumping off point for the reader's own reflections and prayer.Rather than telling us, "You should pray more" he gives us materials that draw us into wanting to pray.

I particularly recommend this book for anyone who is feeling hesitant about God or the church or who has become jaded toward a lot of what they hear from the church and Christians, but who is not quite ready to throw in the towel.This is a beautiful gentle book that will help open your heart to God if you let it.I have found that despite a great deal of hesitation about many "things religious," I can usually only read a page or two of this book at a time, because as I begin to read I feel a tremendous desire to pray and connect with God, and I abandon this book in favor of prayer.I think this is as it was intended to be.

The formatting of the book is very helpful.It has very large margins and lots of space around the quotes, which facilitates writing and/or journaling directly in the book.I've found it very helpful to write my reflections into the book as I go along, and have found there to be ample room for this.I also like the way there is a lot of art interspersed with text.There are times when I just can't read "religious" text, but can look at a Van Gogh painting and allow God to speak to me through it.

Overall, I highly recommend this to both those who are struggling but drawn to God, and those who are deeply committed to the daily practice of the Christian faith.

Worth adding to your personal library.
A friend loaned this book to me. I have been blessed many times throughout the collection of quotes and art the author has culminated and shared.I was extremely pleased to learn this is a very affordable book.Pick oneup--it'll warm and strengthen your heart. ... Read more

Product Description
For many parents, raising children seems pretty manageable until the teenage years. Then fear, confusion, frustration, and lack of understanding begin toinvade the hearts and minds of these once-confident parents. The 'normal' changes of adolescence seem to be nothing but abnormal to parents who begin to feel like helpless bystanders. But parents don't need to feel alone or paralyzed by these feelings. For nearly twenty years, Walt Mueller has studied adolescents and the culture they're surrounded by. His expertise was put to the test when his own children became teenagers. Now he's bringing wisdom from research and his own experience to help parents through the tumultuousyears of adolescence. With empathy and practical tools, parents will address several important issues, including the questions:* How can I begin to facilitate a smoother adolescentperiod for my teen?* How can I begin to break through the walls ofconfusion, fear, frustration, and misunderstanding?* How can I be a positive and proactive bridgebuilderinto the life and world of my teenager? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

I found nothing new in this book
This book pretty much covers what we learned in sex-ed in junior high, minus the sex part, and with God thrown in.If you are looking for help in guiding your teen through these years, don't look here.Teens are demanding and rude and smelly, sometimes acting adult and sometimes like children, but they will ultimately outgrow this.Nuf said?I guess so.

A Look Between the Spaces
Humans are strange.We are the only part of God's creation made in his image, yet we are the most screwed up part of his Creation.And to be quite honest, there is nothing that seems more out of whack than a teenager.Yet it is just this jacked-up human species that Jesus Christ came to die for; not the chimps, not the whales, not even the temperature of the climate.Jesus came to redeem mankind from the mess that we are in by our own doing.It is just this message that those whacked out teenagers need to hear, and they need to experience it first through Mom and Dad.

Commenting on Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Mueller says, "God, in his perfect wisdom and plan, has chosen to do his work through the family.God began with a family in Genesis, and God continues to use the family as the primary area for bringing people to himself...God's 'how' for imparting these truths to our children is by a diligent commitment to teach and model wholehearted and single-minded devotion to God 24 hours a day.When God's truths become the central overriding interest and purpose in our lives, teaching them to our children will happen almost subconsciously."

As a youth pastor, there is nothing more valuable to me in my ministry than parents who not only care to see their kid "succeed," but also care about the message of Christ enough to see it become the theme and passion of their children's lives.In "The Space Between," Mueller mixes his deep understanding of the Scripture and how it dances in our lives with his 30-plus years of experience with youth and culture (see [...]) to send an equipping message to parents.This message is one that not only helps parents understand what is happening to their children spiritually, physically and mentally, but it is also one gives hope to parents who feel hopeless through the hope that is found only in the Gospel.

It is not enough to let this generation go through their adolescence on their own.No, parents must stand in the confidence found in Christ alone and help their children through these formative years.Mueller argues that parenting teenagers is not about the moment-specific "solutions" to problems, but about the overall emphasis of the heart of the parent.While it seems that many parents today want to have more of a hands-off approach to parenting their teens (by letting their coaches, teachers and youth pastors do what they were called to do), Mueller calls parents to be what God has called them to be: examples and teachers to our children of what it means to "prayerfully endeavor with God's help and by God's grace to integrate their faith in every nook and cranny of their lives (p.104)." Mueller gives great and biblical advice to parents (and youth workers) on how best to approach these years.It is my opinion that, if parents take heed to this biblically based and youth-culturally informed advice, they will feel equipped to continue the task bestowed upon them at the birth of their child: to train them up in the way they should go. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (21)

Inspiration and more inspiration
What a great book to get to see a glimpse of the studios of other artists. Some of them are beyond belief...others I could not work in them if I tried....but it is so good to see how other creative people set up their space....there is such a diversity of size, types, and organization. It is a great resource if you are wanting to get more organized, your space more functional or fun. Good eye candy in parts of the book.

Any collection catering to artists will find this a fine survey
Art Making & Studio Spaces is a visual studio tour that considers artists in their unique work spaces. From the relationship between artist and studio to how work space influences art, this blends photos by artists with personal insights that offer budding artists tips on how to set up a private studio. Any collection catering to artists will find this a fine survey.

Come Along With Me
As I study the results of Lynne Perrella's and photographer Sarah Blodgett's national tour of, as I think of it,Places Where Art Happens, I can't help but consider what a long, strange trip it must have been.Yet strange in the sense of non-ordinary, wonderful, unexpected; strange as differing from same-old and ho-hum.Good strange.Magical strange.

Having loved making stuff out of other stuff for many years, seeing where artists work and what they work with has a strong component of inspiration.That is overshadowed by simple awe.

The detailed, vibrant photos take us into what I believe to be the heart of each artist who willingly allowed voyeurs behind the doors of their creative lives.This is not the compendium telling seekers where to find IT, how to do IT or what to store IT in.Like the panoramic Easter eggs of some of our childhoods, we peer through the window at a world within and create our own stories about what may be happening on that planet.

While we are not left puzzled about each artist and each space, for there is plentiful and revealingnarrative to keep us from losing our bearings altogether,we may not find all of our questions answered; for that we would need (1) to visit each space personally, (2) unlimited time to wander therein and (3) a textbook procedural grilling of the artist, who would, of course, explain EVERYTHING.

Each entry produces a unique admiration for the perfect matching of individual and environment.The rooms (spaces is a more accurate name) range from blissful order to what we outsiders might think of as, let's face it, chaos.Yet each has evolved or been carefully designed to match the needs of each artist's process, glimpses of which we are given.We are permitted to gaze upon their meaningful objects, some defined, some more enigmatic.

What I take from the many visits I have already made to the tables, floors, walls, shelves, drawers, hooks, layers and piles that are the riches of ART MAKING AND STUDIO SPACES, is that dizzying reminder that we are at our best when we are mostauthentically ourselves.Each location, private lair of a truly creative soul, reminds us that as diverse as our forms of expression are, the laboratories in which every small step or great leap is refined is equally so. And aren't we lucky to have been invited?

Beautifully put together
Each of Lynne's books have been a joy to read and view and this one is no exception. The photography is spectacular and places me right into each artists world, allowing me to see some of the details that makes each artists work so special.

I came away with many ideas that I can use in my own studio. It is a book I will open again and again to reference and enjoy.

Not that great
I wish I had listened to those who wrote not to get this book.I was really hoping for ideas on making my studio better, more workable space and better pictures.This book is just not worth your time.I hate to write a bad review but really it was a waste, I am sending it back. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the story of how we could have gone to space. Maybe how we should have gone to space. This is the story of the Ministry of Space: The black budget that financed the move into space. The deaths of the test pilots taken from the surviving Spitfire flyers of the Battle of Britain. And in 2000, the end of the Golden Age, as America and Russia begin moving into space. The secret revealed, and the destruction of a man who sacrificed himself for the Ministry of Space. Plus, a sketchbook section by Chris Weston and an all-new appendix by Warren Ellis revealing the facts behind the fiction! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

One of the best graphic novels I've read
This was an impulse purchase for me as a birthday present to myself and I enjoyed it very much.The art and story are fantastic. Warren Ellis weaves a very thought provoking alternate history.Everyone I've recommended it to has loved it as well.

O.K. but too short.
The story was compelling enough but it ends to abruptly. There are 58 pages of build up and 2 pages of resolution.

If Chuck Yeager had prevailed over Alan Shepard
The sort-of second installment in Warren Ellis' space trilogy(the sort-of first being Orbiter, which came out while Ministry of Space was still delayed, the final one being Ocean.)Unlike the others, which are pretty straight-forward science fiction tales, this one is an alternate history.The lynchpin of this divergence from our own is the Royal Air Force grabbing the top German rocket scientits in the waning days of WW2.They then destroy the German rocket complex to eliminate any potential backwards engineering from the Americans or Russians.Applying the spirit of the Battle of Britian to the space race, which, in this case has prety much no competition.

Like Orbiter & Ocean, the story is kind of weak in this book.It features lots of flash backs and exposition, but the actual story is just a historical overview of this alternate 20th century.However, unlike those books, the main character here is a truly unique and interesting individual, a classic English bulldog, who seems to create a space program out of sheer force of will and can-do spirit.

The visuals are as epic as you might expect for a space-focused book, combining traditional space imagery with WW2-era plane designs and 1940s serial sci-fi inspiried technology.

Ellis' afterword is almost more interesting than the book itself, explaning his own thoughts on the progression of the space program and how this book is his exploration of what it might have looked like if different mindsets prevailed.He also asks the intriguing question of, assuming that the expansion of humanity into space is worth whatever cost could be borne, what cost COULD be borne to bring humans into a true interplanetary society.This cost invovles a stagnating of social values(although the reason for that is always left a little unclear in the book.I presume it has to do with the government maintaining a kind of war-time control over everything to enable the necessary requisitions for the space program) or collaborating with monsters(as evidenced in the main character, and his absolute ruthlessness to finance & protect the space program).

The single most inspiring thing of the book is a throwaway line that Ellis has in the afterword.He says that he believes it is IMPORTANT for humanity to go out among the stars, and that the specifics of what flag they fly, what language they speak and what color their skin is matters littler compared to the importance of that.

Putting aside any selfish desire I have to see the stars & stripes raised under a red sky, I think he's right.

Scores high for the illustrations
Warren Ellis is a good writer but unsuitable for this comic. This book tells of an alternative future following WWII with Britain in the forefront of the space race. It is really an attempt to re-do Dan Dare in a mature style.

I really like the artwork. But I don't like this treatment of the concept. The cameo appearances by Churchill and a Werner von Braun-like scientist only adds to the historical burden of this all-too short storyline. Various elements are introduced without further extrapolation, such as using holocaust victim gold to support the funding (so now we know, big deal) and a final sequence showing segregation of black staff. What was the point of introducing this last element which has no bearing on the story? What was the story again? MOS was built up using holocaust victim gold. That is a story?

This was a potentially great new Dan Dare like comic with a very good artist. It should have been allowed to soar with real adventures. Instead, it is given a heavy intellectual and dull treatment. They should have used another writer.

Sorry, Warren. I Love You, Man... but Sorry.
Warren Ellis is the man. I loved his work on Marvel's Excalibur in the 90's, what I've read of his prose work seems solid and I keep up with his blog, mailing list and Freakangels webcomic without fail. But I can't think of any great writer that doesn't have at least one stinker, and this one is Warren's. There's just no freakin' point to it. Three issues worth of Britain beginning a space program after WWII and terraforming Mars in 2001. There's no major conflict, the characters aren't changed by the end of the story and nothing of great import occurs. Well, no one's perfect, right?
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

As good as the first!
Even though I'm an adult, I have to admit I really love these books.Sardine 2 is as good as the first, and the kids I know who've read it agree (my friend's a teacher, and has shown them to her class).I think Sardine is a terrific role model for young girls--kick butt! ... Read more